It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Right??? Right?!? Right!!! I don’t know about you, but October is my most favorite month because of my most favorite holiday. And I just feel so blessed because Halloween is the very last day of October so I get an ENTIRE month to act like a total nut job that can live in a witch’s lair for a full 31 days without judgement from the “normal” people.

So my girls school has Trunk-or-Treat every year and I just really feel like this is why I was born, like this is my purpose in life. Now, it’s a group effort with my cousins, but we have made it our personal goal to put our hearts and souls into our costumes and trunk. The truth is, it’s becoming a task to outdo ourselves, and the pressure is anxiety inducing. Yet we do it every year and we LOVE it. I thought I would share the last few years that we’ve done. Tis the season, am I right?

2018: Beetlejuice

“My whole life is a dark room. One. Big. Dark. Room.” Lydia Deetz

So this theme was seriously fun. We got Styrofoam heads and some old sheets to be the hanging ghosts on the side of the trunk. I found some prawns on Amazon and tried my best to re-create the dinner scene when they all dance to Day-O. I was happy to be Lydia Deetz because I didn’t have to smile all day. My cousin, Jodi(Beetlejuice) made the sandworm and the tombstone. We have found black lights to be a big hit in the past so we painted extra tombstone’s in neon colors to make them really pop with the black light. And talk about dedication by my cousin Roxanne for ALL THAT BODY PAINT. We also made sure to have the soundtrack playing at all times-hence my car dying by the end of the night. It was WORTH IT.

2017: Suicide Squad Joker and Harley Quinn

All My Friends Are Heathens, Take It Slow

Okay, since Roxanne got tickets to a show this year, Jodi and I were a two woman show. I feel like this may have been my favorite make-up job for myself. Transforming into The Joker was so fun, with the hand and face tattoos and the jewelry and the green hair. Jodi knocked it out of the park as a jailed Harley Quinn in the back of my car. She sipped her tea. She read her romance novel and she asked the young trick or treaters to break her out. I spray painted a big roll of paper with the HA! HA!’s with neon spray paint and they just popped with the black light. Jodi made the Arkham sign and the Suicide Squad art. Sucker For Pain and Heathens played the entire time. My car did not die this night.

2016: Alice In Wonderland

Curiouser and curiouser

With this theme we did a real mash up of both the animated Alice In Wonderland and the newer version. The trunk was the rabbit hole that Alice falls down with clocks and cards taped to the sides. I made the flowers from the animated version and set up a real tea party on the table on the outside of the trunk. Jodi is such a great artist so she made the sign that said “Down the rabbit hole” with the white rabbit. the Chesire Cat sign that said “We’re all mad here” and the playing cards. Roxanne was the Red Queen and OMG it was soooo great with the wig and make-up.I really loved making the flowers and setting up the tea party for this theme because there was so many little details. I got most of my Mad Hatter costume from Good Will and oddly enough my mom found the hat at a second hand store in Oklahoma. It was meant to be!

2015: Hocus Pocus

It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus!

Okay, this was not our first trunk-or-treat but it feels like it. I can’t find our first one, which was a mediocre Wizard of Oz. Hocus Pocus was a game changer and my favorite one of all because I love this movie with all my heart and soul. Now, we chose this theme before there were Sanderson sister costumes to buy, so we just put it all together the best we could. I know I put socks inside my hair to get Winnie’s Dracula hairdo and I have no idea what Roxanne did for Mary, but it was perfection. And her on the vacuum?! I can’t. It was TOO good! Jodi’s “Amuck, amuck, amuck!” as Sister Sarah was on point. She also made the book and it was a god damn masterpiece. We had the trunk decorated like the witch’s cabin, with a big cauldron full of dry ice. A sign that said “Come Little Children” sat on an old chair where we suck the lives out of the children of Salem, right next to the Black Flame Candle. Oh, if I could re-live this night I would!

“I Put A Spell On You” and “Come Little Children” played through our car speakers and yes, my car died that year as well. Once again, it was WORTH IT. I got to be my idol, Winnifred Sanderson for a full four hours and you just can’t go back from that kind of thing. She’s a part of me now.

So that’s it! We are plotting for this year’s festivities and can’t wait…also can’t wait for it to be over- because man, the pressure. Ha! Happy Haunting!

The Wizarding Walker's at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Oh hey! Long time no talk, right? Well I’ve been in a perpetual state of writing and also wound licking from lack of agent responses to my queries! But it’s all good people, it’s all good. Because I am no weinie. That’s right. Bring on the rejection!  Now, let’s get to why I’m really here! We went to Universal Studio’s, yo! But more importantly we went for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Because, you see, I gave birth to a female version of Harry Potter eight years ago. Mischievous, brave, smart mouthed and good hearted Vivienne. She fell in love with Harry Potter when she was two and started drawing his scar on her forehead (which was more of jagged lines everywhere). Soon Harry Potter was on at all times and then he became her imaginary friend. Yes, “Harry Potter did it” was a common term used in our house for a very long time.

Fast forward to present day, and not much has changed. Except she cops to her mischief, or just throws the hair she cut off her head behind her dresser and mysteriously has no idea why her got shorter. Ahh, I digress. Carry on!

Universal Studios Hollywood is a freaking great place. I think it’s overlooked and highly under-rated. But this post will only be about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, because that’s why we went. But the other rides are PHENOMMENAL! I will leave it at that. Also make sure to bring some spending cash. Muggle shit isn’t easy on the pockets.

 First off, I got us t-shirts from Amazon. Griffyndor for my little Vivienne to represent her house and Ava is a Ravenclaw. William and I got matching glasses and scar t-shirts (I know the scar isn’t an accurate one, you fanatics, you). I thought they were cute but then a guy that work there high fived Ava for her Ravenclaw shirt and then high fived me for my John Lennon shirt. Seriously, dude?

Okay, maybe he had a point.

Let me add that upon entering Universal Studios we went to customer service and got a birthday pin for Vivienne. They also gave my husband, Ava and I pins that said “Celebrating Vivienne”. It’s pretty cool. And everywhere throughout the park she was greeted with birthday wishes.

 Alright, on with the show! Let me tell you that when you walk into Hogsmeade, it’s like you’re really walking into someplace magical. First the train conductor meets you, and this guy is full of charisma. He does all kinds of fun poses for pictures and really interacts with each person. We saw him later in the day walking through the park and he wished Vivienne a happy birthday again and even stopped to help with our wands. (More on wands to come) Every person that works there is in full on character at all times, and they are so helpful and kind and it was so refreshing.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Walking through Hogsmeade is so surreal, because you feel like you’re in the movie. There are butterbeer carts, there’s Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes and Ollivander’s, cute shops where they sell merchandise and cloaks. With so much to explore, we all were seriously excited, but hauled our butt’s to the Forbidden Journey ride because the line can get long and it was still early. The Forbidden Journey ride is on the other end of Hogsmeade inside of Hogwarts, and it is a beauty to behold, let me say. It’s like the Big Show. You legitimately feel like you are walking into Hogwarts! Thankfully we were early enough that we didn’t have to wait too long but there’s a downside to this. Most of the line is inside the castle and they just have it so tricked out, you guys. If I went to all of the detail this post would be pages long, so just take my word for it and look at the pictures. As for the ride, it was so awesome. It’s a roller coaster of sorts all inside Hogwarts and we found it quite exhilarating. It all happens so fast and we only rode it once so I can’t go into too much detail about why it’s so awesome because apparently I’m getting old and can’t remember shit. Go on it. See for yourself.

Butterbeer

There’s a butterbeer cart right in the middle of Hogsmeade where they sell frozen and soda versions of butterbeer. My entire family preferred the frozen kind. Of course my daughter’s needed souvenir cups, which brings me back to my advice to bring lots of money. Two souvenir cups and two regular cups of butter beer cost over thirty dollars. Yes. They also sold Pumpkin Juice and Gilly Water. Next time I’ll try the pumpkin juice. So I googled what butterbeer actually consisted of and it’s cream soda and butterscotch, two things I thought I wasn’t really fond of, but I guess I’m wrong because I dug it!

Ollivander’s

The wand show at Ollivander’s was a twenty minute wait. One person gets chosen for the wand show, and I was told they lean on picking people that are either Harry Potter’d out or someone with a birthday and Vivienne was both. I kinda scooted her in front of me, so she was front and center and yes, she was chosen. It’s a really cute show and it was made even better by seeing my baby in front of a room of people casting spells. The right wand chose her, a wand made of birch with a unicorn hair at it’s core. Now the wands here are pricey at $52.00 each. They are interactive wands, with a map included. Once the girls got their wands they were able to walk around the park casting spells at different locations on the map. And if you’re having trouble there are workers walking about all the time that stop to help. Vivienne used the help of a fellow wizard and once the spell had been cast and a music box inside a window started playing, the wizard looked at me and said “She’s very powerful.” You have no idea, man. You have no idea.

Flight of the Hippogriff

It was 80 degrees so what we especially loved about this ride was the mister fans throughout the line. (Shit, I AM getting old.) But what a difference a little cool mist makes. You pass Hagrid’s house while waiting in line, lots of sticks and shrubs like you’re in the Forbidden Forest. The ride is a medium sized outdoors coaster. My kids enjoyed it. William and I felt a little smooshed.

Three Broomsticks

This is where we lunched! It was traditional English food and also, served no muggle drinks so we just had water. I got Shepard’s pie which I really liked but next time will try the fish and chips. The girl’s got mac and cheese and chicken tenders and they ended up switching with each other and were very pleased with the switch. William got a chicken sandwich that he loved. But the best, the absolute best was the desert. OMG. It was amazing. Toffee pudding with a cold scoop of ice cream. Yum. The staff was so friendly and jovial it made me want to work there. I asked a worker where I could find Diagon Alley, since I had been watching YouTube videos on what not to miss at the park. “Orlando,” was her response and I realized I  had been watching videos on the Orlando location. I was little miffed at myself and at Hollywood for not being equal with Orlando but soon got over it. I was in Three Broomsticks after all.

Honeyduke’s

Honeyduke’s= heaven. A heaven filled with chocolate frogs, fudge flies, caramel covered apples and cauldron cakes. What’s not to love. After we purchased all of the aforementioned, while paying the worker asked if we would like to celebrate my little wizard’s birthday. Well, of course I said and as soon as I nodded my head she rang a bell so every patron in Honeyduke’s could hear. She announced that today was Vivienne’s birthday and the entire store clapped for my baby. It. Was. Magical. William got a caramel covered apple, the girls got chocolate frogs and I got a delicious cauldron cake. Yum.

So here’s a very short list of do’s and don’ts to wrap this baby up.

Do:

 Bring lots of money. I don’t know how much. But lots.

 Download the Universal Studios App- it has wait times for every ride in the park and that was so helpful in planning what we would do next.

 Don’t:

Wait any longer. If you’re a Harry Potter fan the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is waiting to welcome you home

37 Feels Like Heaven

So, you know, I recently had a birthday. And forgive me but, I love my birthday! Bring me the cake, bring me the food, bring me the company and yes, bring me the presents. I DIG that shit. But my husband, man he loves to remind me that I’m getting old. Like, I legit will need a wheel chair soon. And, uh I hate to break it to him, but nothing could be further from the truth. My body may age, ripple and wrinkle but I have detailed evidence below to support the fact that I am NOT getting old., in fact I’m staying young.

Exhibit A- Vivienne

Since saying your child is “challenging” is technically frowned upon I’m going to go with “spirited”. Vivienne has been spirited (replace spirited with challenging in your brain) really since she was born. She’s never stopped. You cannot be old with a child like this. You must have a sharp mind with cat-like reflexes! She can do ANYTHING at ANY moment and you must always be prepared! This keeps the mind sharp! Oh, they say it gets better with age, but it doesn’t! She only gets sneakier! See photos for further evidence.

Glitter. Glitter everywhere. This doesn’t even scratch the surface folks!

Thought she was playing nicely

Okay, yes she’s very young here. But if you think she wouldn’t do this anymore, you’re wrong!

That time she made herself a zombie

That time she decided to make her own gallon of chocolate milk

Exhibit B- My Mother

I’m 37 years old, shopping at Target with my mother. I hear “Marco” yelled from across the store. My mortified “Polo” response barely reaches a whisper. Nuff said.? I’m still a child.

Capturing the moment

Exhibit C- My Vans

I just got these kick ass high top Vans that allll the teenagers wear! I’m practically a high schooler, yo!

Got my Vans on, but they look like sneakers.

Exhibit D- Momo

This is my grandmother. Bowling at 89 years old. This is proof that I don’t have just good genes, I got great genes!

So there you have it. Proof that I am young. So very young. The youngest 37 year old you’ve ever seen. I rest my case.

But in all seriousness- I’m going to end this post with some facebook words I posted a couple of years ago on my birthday. My sentiment hasn’t changed one iota. I can laugh and joke about staying young, but I can honestly say I’m happy to have the privilege to grow old. It just keeps getting better. Like to hear it? Here it go-

For as long as this heart is beating and these lungs are breathing, I will celebrate this day every year of my life. I won’t loathe growing older. I won’t eat the slop this culture tries to feed women. I refuse to waste my life consumed with ideas that work against me instead of benefit me. My body and face were given to me at birth and they are just the houses for the important stuff. My mind and soul are mine to mold and design however I want. The possibilities are endless.

The Leaning Christmas Tree of 2018

Meet Mama

Sometimes Mama needs to be put in her place.

Say what?!?

Sometimes Mama has to put herself in her place. (She knows it’s true)

Fair enough

But not very often, Mama would like to add!

So now that I’ve caught my breath since Christmas I would like to take this moment to reflect upon my leaning Christmas tree. I’ve never thought of myself as one of those gals that obsesses over her Christmas tree. I mean scrolling through Facebook could give me a complex because man, some of your guy’s trees are top notch works of art. I’m artsy in other ways. My tree goes up and my kids decorate it. But a leaning tree? Now that’s another story.

So while at my nephews birthday party on the 8th of December I mentioned that we had yet to get a Christmas tree. William has been working A LOT. And he hurt his shoulder recently. So we were late getting our tree this year.
My cousin, Jodi looked to me with a shocked face and said “You know there’s a Christmas tree shortage this year, right?” I sneered at her because she’s untrustworthy. Like, she literally burnt me with a fork the week before. ON PURPOSE. But that’s a story for another time. So I’m cautious. Then she tells me it was on the news and that’s when I know she’s lying because she doesn’t watch the news!
Two days later while driving to our tree lot, I think of how my kids love to run through the tent of flocked trees and pretend their in the woods. We buy fresh mistletoe. We lovingly argue about what tree is perfect for us. Noble fir of course, it must be Noble fir. The workers kindly strap the tree on top of our car while we warm up in the car. It’s a THING. It’s TRADITION.

Our beloved Christmas tree lot a few years ago. Don’t we look SO happy?

Well this year, the tent was empty. The lot was bare. Those beautifully flocked trees behind us in the picture? Not a one in sight. I was so mad I didn’t bother to look at the mistletoe. My children didn’t frolick through the forest of their imagination.
The great Christmas tree shortage of 2018 was real folks. I walked out of the lot with a river of frustration running through me, and a trace of panic settling in my gut. Could Jodi have been right?
We silently drove to Home Depot.
Now, in the past Home Depot has had decent trees. The experience isn’t the same because the trees are tied up and stacked against each other. But that’s okay. I’m not about the experience anymore. I’m about getting a tree. We peruse the Home Depot tree situation.
Not. One. Single. Noble Fir.
That’s when the full blown panic set in. I broke into a sweat. William was annoyed. My kids were fighting. We drove to Lowes.
And in the back, in the very, very back. There was one tree. Just one. It wasn’t a Noble fir but I no longer cared. We paid for it and had to STRAP IT ON OURSELVES.
Gone was my spirit, my tree shopping joy. Because then I become consumed with the panic that the only tree in town will go flying off the top of our car due to our inept tying skills.
We made it home after a tense car ride. The tree is light as a feather and I literally brought it in by myself. My husband laughed at my stubbornness.
We put up the tree and I noticed it’s a Fraser fir. Have you ever even heard of a Fraser Fir? Yeah, me neither. But that’s not it’s only flaw. It’s crooked AF. Like it’s got scoliosis. I’m not kidding.
I angrily began putting the lights on while my husband watched with annoyance and a trace of disgust. Disgust at my behavior. I ignore him. And when I witness my tree tilted like the Leaning Tower of Pisa I pushed it in the corner and hoped it hid the tree’s major flaw.
My tree is so flawed.
William offered to go find another tree.
To make me happy. With a hurt shoulder.

That’s when I looked at my kids who were happily putting ornaments in all the wrong places, smiles on their faces. We were listening to Queen and they were marveling at all the ornaments they’ve made over the years. And it hit me- I gotta to love that fucking flawed ass tree. It’s imperfect like me, like my daughters and husband. And what happens to all those imperfect trees? They don’t get to go to the “Big Show” which is Christmas with a family of course. And that’s when I said to myself “Jenna. Check yoself before you wreck yoself” and turned to my daughters and said “ Who cares if our trees crooked? It’s beautiful in its own way and I love that it’s imperfect”
And they both looked at me, like, duh Mom. They had loved it all along. Not looking at it with a critical eye, but with a loving eye instead. Note to self- look at more stuff with a loving eye.

Our leaning tree of 2018

So there she is in all her tree leaning glory! And you know what? Fraser fir’s are excellent trees! They have excellent needle retention and a fantastic smell. Who woulda thought? I don’t remember many of our trees from the past, but this tree, this tree is unforgettable. Eat your heart out perfect Facebook trees! We love our imperfect tree! So what’s the lesson here folks? Next year get your tree early. Nah. I’m only half kidding.

Brain Tumors Suck, But Life Is Good

The other night Ava, my ten year old, and I went on a walk to see Christmas lights.  And while we were  walking she said “Mommy, tell me a story that will make me cry.”

You see, my daughter and I love to happy cry so much that it’s almost shameful. But like Dolly Parton said in Steel Magnolias “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” Same girl, same.

And because I share Ava’s need to shed a tear over something that makes our hearts burst with love, I dig into my memory to deliver those tears. It only takes a moment, really. But first the story I tell her has a backstory I must tell you.

It’s funny how time works. I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday, but I can remember getting Sophia (my niece) and Ava’s (my daughter) pictures taken with my mom at Kmart nine years ago. They were three and one year old, respectively, and my mother loved getting them matching outfits for pictures.  This time the girls wore matching black cardigans with silky plaid skirts. They were only babies, but they were already best friends- inseparable, really.

Because Sophia had been nodding her head a lot while watching TV and had trouble going down steps, her mother, Jodi, had made her an eye doctor appointment after the picture appointment. We all thought the nodding was a tick, but were glad Jodi was getting it checked out.

Sophia and Ava- the day we found out

Later that night, while in the parking lot at Costco, I got a text message from Jodi saying something was wrong and they were being sent to emergency.

There was a collective panic that spread between my mother, grandmother and me. Let me stop here and say that, Sophia was our everything. I was in the room when she was born, I witnessed the first time mother and daughter saw each other. My mom and grandmother babysat her every day and I would rush to my mom’s after work so I could see her.  I remember my other grandmother saying something at my baby shower about Sophia. “That child’s feet never touches the ground.” And it was true. She was always in our arms. Sophia was Jodi’s baby, but Sophia was OUR baby too. 

There was no question about it, we went to the emergency room. When we got there, Sophia’s father, her grandparents and aunts were there. Ava had fallen asleep so I enclosed her in her stroller. I can still see where I was sitting, looking at my one year old baby sleeping in her stroller, sick to my stomach with worry, for Sophia, for Jodi, for my family, and for me. Jodi and Sophia’s father were in the back talking to doctors while Sophia sat in the waiting room with us.  I can’t tell you how much time passed. But I can tell you that the look of agony on Jodi’s face as she walked out of the emergency room doors broke my soul into a million pieces and is tattooed on my mind.

“It’s a brain tumor,” she cried through heaving breaths.  And my head collapsed into my lap. There was darkness there, where my arms created a box around my head and that’s where my sobs found me. Lost in a despair I had never felt before, I peered up at Ava, still asleep in her stroller and my chest pulled into a ball of fear. My baby was in front of me, safe and healthy and Jodi’s baby, had a brain tumor.  How would we get through this?

“Why is everyone crying?” Sophia had asked from her aunt’s arms. We were shattered and we were a spectacle in the emergency room. A family filled with sorrow from life altering news.

More appointments followed. We found out that Sophia’s tumor was benign, but that it was growing and affecting her vision and consuming her pituitary gland. It had to come out.  There was going to be a life filled with concerns and medications and testing, but the best part, the most important part was that Sophia was expected to survive.  Our little three year old would make it.

Taken the night before Sophia’s surgery.

Two weeks later on December 8th, Sophia underwent brain surgery for eight hours.  The tumor was removed, cell by cell and it was the longest day of our lives. There was relief when the surgeons came out and told our large group that the surgery was a success, the tumor was gone.   

It was a long recovery, a long road. We had to get to know the new Sophia. The one that had been through a horrible trauma. Who was scared and fragile. If I were to write about post-surgery we would simply be here for weeks, because our girl is still dealing with issues and probably will for the rest of her life.

And so, when Ava wanted a story that pulled on her heartstrings, this is what I told her. I told her that Sophia and her were always the best of friends even for a little one and three year old. I told her that she couldn’t see Sophia for two whole weeks while she recovered in the hospital. And that was the longest they had ever been separated. That once Sophia came home, we were worried that Ava wouldn’t recognize her. Her head had been shaved. Her eye was swollen and bruised. The new medication had made her gain weight immediately. Her voice had even changed into a higher pitch. I worried that to Ava, Sophia would be unrecognizable.

Yet, when Ava came into my aunt’s house, she walked right up to the couch that Sophia was laying on and wrapped her arms around her big cousin. She knew exactly who she was on the spot and was giddy to have her best friend back.

Probably a couple months after surgery.

Sometimes, the weight of the world is heavy, yes? Yes! Sometimes I feel I cannot do hard things. I don’t want to show up. I want to go to bed. I don’t want to hear about the fires or the hurricanes. The famines and the shootings. It’s hard on my soul. I get too emotional.

But then, I’m reminded of times like these, nine years ago this very month. How I had no choice but to deal with life. How I thought our family might never be the same. How my child shared an unconditional love and bond with another child at only one year old. And I’m reminded what this life is about. Showing up. Doing our best. Making it through. And doing it all over again.

That night Ava and I walked home, hand in hand. And she got her tears, I got some too. What weirdos we are.

Ava, Vivienne and Sophia.

AmQuerying

Oh. Hey there. I thought you left. Welcome back. This is my second post. Ignore my awkwardness and read what I’ve been up to.

2018 is almost over and just when we were getting comfortable with each other! Back in May I sent my manuscript, Guardians of the Dead, to an editor whom I feel is kinda a big deal. I secretly hope she never reads this, because it will be riddled with mistakes, possibly that “whom” a couple lines above being one of them. I can’t really tell ya’ll how much she taught me. But did you know that you never run TOWARDS something? It’s TOWARD something. I know, right? Mind blown.

After five months of going back and forth with my editor, making changes to plot and structure, and learning proper English I thought I already knew— my baby is complete and I had to decide what I was going to do from that point. I spoke to my editor about it and made a scary decision. For now, I’ve decided not to self publish and try to go trade.

But this means I need an agent. An agent has to want me, has to believe in my manuscript, believe that it will sell. I’m currently working on my query letter to submit to agents and keeping my fingers crossed that someone, anyone will believe in a book I started ten years ago. A crazy idea that grew and grew into 94,000 words. I’m told it’s a long, grueling, heart wrenching process, but I’m no stranger to those things so I’m up for it. And I’ve got to at least try. So that’s what’s been going on in my writing world.

My personal world is filled with some cool ass kids, a hot baby daddy, our business and family I adore 98% of the time. I’m looking forward to 2019, to more writing (I’ve already started two new books) and trying with all I’ve got to get a book deal. Wish me luck. I’m fucking nervous.

What about you guys? Whatcha been up to? Ready for Christmas?

I'm Jenna Walker and I'm Uncomfortable With All Of This

My own website? What am I thinking?

An Instagram account dedicated to said website? I must be insane!

Well, let me explain.

I recently went to a writing retreat filled with writers I admire and slightly stalk on most social media platforms. And I left inspired.  I'm a book nerd. I started writing my first book when I was vacationing in Oklahoma. I was twelve. I never finished "Tales of 6th Grade Drama" but I'm certain if I had it already would have been made into a feature film, and academy awards would be lining my walls.

I digress.

Shit got real when my 9th grade English teacher, the brooding and inspiring Mr. Litvin, a legit Russian with a swoony accent wrote in my yearbook "Send me a copy of your first best seller."  And dammit, I really wanted to send him that book! But...I still haven't.

It's all good because I have lived a fantastic life and one thing you never get too old for is writing.  I have semi-finished my first book and am editing it and maybe one day I will self-publish it. And maybe even one day you (Yeah, you!) will read it.

But until that day comes, I'm going to blog about books I'm reading and writing and music I love and my life. And who knows- maybe my semi-psychotic six year old will make it in the blog or maybe even my nine year old that's convinced she's nineteen, or a husband that's so charming I can never possibly live up to him and his perfect smile? It's 2018. Anything can happen! And I've got serious passions, yo. Like Prince, cookie dough, reciting movie quotes and a coffee mug addiction. Not a coffee addiction, a coffee mug addiction. Just to be clear. I know you're hooked now. You can't barely wait for my next post. You are so excited you can't stand it, right?!? Me too!